


Three Weeks

by Aida



Series: 30 Day AU Challenge [27]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coma, Fluff and Angst, Hospitals, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-10
Updated: 2013-08-10
Packaged: 2017-12-23 01:11:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/920228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aida/pseuds/Aida
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For three weeks, Bilbo Baggins was seen at the hospital.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Weeks

**Author's Note:**

> So I was originally going to do Kilbo, but then **Phantom72** asked for some Bilbo/Bifur. It's one of those pairings that always makes me go "Awww..."
> 
> And then I did angst.

Three weeks.

For the past three weeks Bilbo was a constant fixture in the critical wing of the hospital. For three weeks, he would show up the moment visiting hours had started, and then would be dragged off sometime close to the next day. For three weeks, Bilbo would smile at the person at the front desk, accept his pass, and walk down the long, pale halls. Sometimes with flowers, cards, or soft stuffed animals. Sometimes without. Sometimes he would leave with red, irritated eyes. Sometimes he just looked completely dead on his feet. 

For three weeks, he would always sit by his bed, practically unmoving, just holding his hand.

Today was a bit different. Today he had things to give him. Personal things, at least.

“Frodo drew this yesterday.” He said, smile strained as he held up the construction paper. “See? That’s Frodo, you, and me. There’s also Bofur and Bombur. It’s amazing how he managed to make it clear who is who in this, isn’t it? Of course Bofur’s got his hat, and… well, I don’t think Bombur’s really that round, but… Well, he’s a child.”

Bilbo swallowed, hearing the respirator, looking at Bifur buried deep within the bed. Head wrapped in gauze and pale, so very pale.

“Don’t you want to see?” He asked, voice wavering. “Don’t you want to see the lovely picture Frodo drew for us?”

His only response came from the beeps of the machines and he squeezed his eyes shut, once again cursing the brute that shot him. Cursing Thorin for making him go through that neighborhood. All for a little extra money. All for that stupid cruise, because Bilbo was foolish enough to be looking at an ad for it and saying, “wouldn’t it be nice?”

“I heard cruises are terrible, anyway.” He muttered, clutching the paper in his hand tightly, just as tight as the hold he had on his husband’s hand. “I didn’t need it. _We_ didn’t need it. Why did you have to go and want to surprise me with a _stupid_ cruise with horrible food and terribly expensive booze!?”

A sob slipped out before he could stop it, and he brought Bifur’s hand to his lips. “I just want you to wake up.” He whimpered. “I just want you to come back to me. To Frodo. To our family.”

He bent over, no longer able to hold back. “Please don’t leave me!” He sobbed. “I can’t-! I couldn’t take it! I love you too much!”

He was unaware of his in-laws standing at the door. Of Bofur, lips trembling as he clutched his hat in his hand with Fíli, his partner, tucking their head into their shaking shoulder. Of Bombur, snuffling as he held his pregnant wife and eldest daughter by the shoulders. 

He bent over, hiding his tear-stained, snot-covered face from the world as he continued to hold Bifur’s hand. 

“Please come back…!” He whimpered. “ _Please_ …!”

**xxx**

“You need to eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

Bofur scrubbed his face with his hand, sitting on the other side of Bifur’s bed. Bombur had taken his wife, children, and Fíli to the cafeteria while he had agreed to stay behind and convince Bilbo that now, toast and jam couldn’t sustain you for an entire day. So far, he was not successful.

“Bifur would kill us if he knew about your refusing to eat.” He tried.

Bilbo’s lips seemed to tighten, and Bofur stared at his older cousin and the hand that was in Bilbo’s grasp. 

“He could wake up.” His in-law and best friend whispered. “He could wake up and I wouldn’t be here for him. I can’t let that happen.”

Bofur bit his lip, the doctor’s words ringing in his head. That it was unlikely that Bifur wouldn’t be waking anytime soon. That it was possible for him to become brain dead first, and if he woke up, it wouldn’t be easy. In fact, if he woke up, it would be a miracle. 

“You can probably spare a moment to just grab a sandwich. Maybe some nice, hot tea as well.” Bofur pleaded. “Please, Bilbo. We have a hard time worrying over Bifur as it is. Don’t add yourself to that. If not for us, then for Bifur. He wouldn’t like you not taking care of yourself.”

Guilt always worked with Bilbo, even though it brought fresh tears to his eyes. He felt a little bad, but Bilbo let out a shuddering breath before nodding.

“Alright.” Bilbo breathed and Bofur bit back a sigh of relief, standing as Bilbo did and watching him kiss his cousin’s gauze-covered forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”

Bofur smiled tightly, putting a hand on his friend’s back and guiding him out of the room to the hall. He winced, because up close, it was easier to see the bags under his eyes. How thin he had become. How pale and sallow he was. He almost hated his cousin for putting him through this, no matter how unintentional it was. He thought, perhaps, of letting Bilbo and his nephew stay with him and Fíli. At least then, they could keep a close eye on them both. Make sure they slept. Make sure they ate. Make sure they remembered that they had someone there for them.

A groan made them both freeze.

“Bifur?” Bilbo breathed as they both turned to look at the bed, and Bofur felt something catch in his throat as one of Bifur’s hands shifted and moved. “Bifur!”

Bofur ran out of the room, calling for the nurse, the doctor, for _someone_ as Bilbo rushed back to Bifur’s side, clutching his hand and whispering words of encouragement into his ear.

When he managed to find a doctor and lead them back to the room, he saw Bilbo smiling down at Bifur, tears streaming down his face as his cousin blinked.

His hand was clutching Bilbo’s right back.

As the doctor and a nurse checked over his cousin, he couldn’t help but let out a shuddering breath of relief that Bifur was waking up.

He knew that it wouldn’t be easy, from here on out, and so did Bilbo. They knew that there would be weeks of therapy. That Bifur’s memories were probably scrambled and he probably wouldn’t be able to talk. That they don’t know the extent in which his brain had been damaged, and to expect the worse. 

But he knew, as Bilbo did, that none of that mattered. Because Bifur was back, and Bilbo was going to kill him for being gone so long.

**Author's Note:**

> Orphanage is next. I have a few ideas...


End file.
